December Art Guide - Bilbao

Recommendations of what to see in the Bilbao art scene this month by local insider María José Orihuela.

I.

Exhibition: A Runaway World

Artist: Diana Thater.

Venue: Guggenheim Bilbao

Dates: until March 18th 2019

From time to time it is refreshing to escape from the surface of the museum walls and get immersed in a different format and dimension. Diana Thater’s video installation takes our senses and imagination to a faraway land, in Kenya, where a story about our changing world develops and makes us question our role in it. Using a phrase of the artist, it is an experience that lays somewhere “between science and magic”.

Diana Thater, A Runaway World, 2016-2017. Video installation Dimensions variable. Installation view, The Mistake Room, Los Angeles. Photo Credit: Fredrik Nilsen © Diana Thater and The Mistake Room Inc.

II.

Exhibition: Hanging Figures

Artist: Juan Muñoz

Venue: Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao

Dates: Until June 6th 2019

Hanging Figures is a guest artwork that can be a suggestive starting point of a visit to the museum. What I find in Juan Muñoz’s sculptures is a careful ambiguity in his representation. His figures, and particularly their faces, are both familiar and stereotypical, which leaves just enough room for the viewer to get unconsciously implied, complete the scene and relate to it quite intimately.

Exhibition photo, by MJ Orihuela.

III.

Exhibition: Tracing Memory

Artist: Aitor Ortiz

Venue: Museo Universidad de Navarra

Dates: until March 4th 2019

Tracing Memory is an outstanding photography exhibition that takes us to the University Museum of the neighbouring city of Pamplona. Aitor Ortiz’s work is twofold: on the one hand shows sheer excellence in architecture photography as we know it, on the other, there is a less linear and quite unique personal exploration.

Learn more about Oh So Arty in Bilbao here!

Header image: Aitor Ortiz’s installation at Museo Universidad de Navarra

Guide to Miami Art Week 2018

Next week Miami will be hit with an adrenaline rush of art, transforming this restless beach town into the art capital of the season! With over 20 fairs and hundreds of exhibitions, lectures, parties, happening all over town Art Week can be overwhelming and figuring out what to do and where to go can be exhausting. It takes planning, strategizing and a lot of patience as you Uber around town to the different venues… So I wrote this guide to highlight some of my favorite “must see” events and a few local insider tips on how to survive another Art Week…

If you are a local, like myself, you tend to skip the shows that will still be up after the fairs have left. Miami boasts 3 extraordinary private family collections that are open to the public and 3 magnificent museums, each with power exhibitions.

the 35th anniversary of Christo and Jean Claude’s “Surrounding Islands” commemorated at PAAM.

Like a local…

Margulies Collection at The Warehouse houses the collection of Martin Margulies and curated by Katherine Hinds, showcasing sculpture, photography, video, painting and large scale installations from international artists of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Rubell Family Collection offers free admission and extended hours during Art Week. This year their survey exhibition is of Miami local Purvis Young with over 100 paintings. Hans Ulrich Obrist’s interview is featured in the show’s catalogue.

More/Less a group exhibition at the De La Cruz Collection

De La Cruz Collection opens More/Less a group exhibition highlighting works from some of the world’s leading contemporary artists. Kicking off Art Week, the museum opens to the public and not to be missed is a lecture by Hans Ulrich Obrist at 8 PM.

PAMM celebrates the 35th anniversary of Christo and Jean Claude’s “Surrounding Islands” installation with an incredible exhibition of research, materials, videos, photographs documenting the ambitions project of the duo that took over Biscayne Bay from 1980-83. Christo will return for lectures and a private dinner for a few lucky museum patrons.

ICA, celebrating its 1st anniversary, packs a punch with Judy Chicago’s 5 decade retrospective, “Reckoning”, opening Tuesday December 4th. Her strong feminist voice paved the path in a male dominated world and who’s impact was felt not just in the art world, but beyond.

Judy Chicago, Sunset Squares, 1965/2018. Her solo exhibition 'A Reckoning' opens at the ICA December 5

The Bass underwent a major overhaul last year, opening again with Ugo Rondinone’s solo exhibition (perhaps one of the most Instagrammed shows of the year). This year’s Paola Pivi, Adam Curry and the much anticipated Haas Brother’s exhibition are sure to bring in the crowds.

The Faena Festival is back this year with a show titled “This is Not America”, anchored by Alfredo Jaar’s work “A Logo for America”. The works revolve around the America as a concept not a place, where artists explore a sense of place not by the physical but rather more dynamic notions of what that means. Faena is also know for one of the best parties!

Gagosian takes over the iconic Moore Building in the Design District every year and this year they will host an auction to benefit the (RED) foundation, to raise money to fight AIDS. The live auction will be held on Wednesday December 5th and rumor has it, (RED) co-founder Bono Vox will perform!

Ugo Rondinone's sculpture 'Miami Mountain' 2016 at The Bass

Ahead of its 4th MISO Chic concert held the weekend after Basel, The Miami Symphony Orchestra (MISO) is offering a free concert at their headquarters in the Design District on Saturday December 8th at 6pm. Maestro Eduardo Marturet will perform a kinetic piece he composed for piano, followed by 11 year old sensation Martina Travieso who belts out notes like a mini Billie Holiday. In addition, MISO will screen a selection of works by Paris-based video artist Fabiana Cruz, who is the guest artist for the MISO Chic concert that explores the 5 senses through music and art.

So much Art and so little time…

Art Basel Miami Beach is the mothership! With over 200 of the world’s leading galleries, it is perhaps the largest contemporary art fair in the country. When else in Miami can you get up close and personal to a wide array of works by masters such as Picasso, Calder, Miro, Giacometti… or some of the contemporary greats like Eliasson, Holzer, Richter, Akunyili Crosby, Condo, Kapoor… The biggest artists under one roof!

Also part of the fair program is the fifth Audemars Piguet Art Commission that is set up on the beach next to the W Hotel. This year’s Art Commission was granted to Tomas Saraceno with a work titled “Albedo” which explores the possibility of a post fossil fuel era. Saraceno never disappoints, so expect to be wowed!

Untitled, now in its 8th edition, is one of my favorites. Beautifully curated by Omar Lopez Chahoud, the fair rounds up exceptional galleries from around the world showcasing phenomenal contemporary works. If you can’t make it to Miami, you can always follow remotely with their Podcasts.

Art Miami, the OG of the fairs, is celebrating its 29th edition and along with its sister fairs, Context and Aqua, packs in top notch galleries specializing in modern and contemporary art. Since moving to their new location last year, on the old Herald lot, the fair has grown in size and presence and is one of the first things you see when arriving to Miami off the MacCarther Causeway.

Photo by Casey Kelbaugh for Untitled

Need a break from art?

A morning run on the beach or dip in the turquoise ocean is a great way to start the day. Miami’s culinary scene raises to the occasion as well and with several new restaurants in town worth indulging. Let’s not forget all the exclusive art parties and night life, if one still has the stamina after “Baseling” for hours on end…

Macchialina, an oldie but goodie, my spot for cool hip hop and comforting pasta to recharge!

Sushi Garage nestled in local hang out Sunset Harbour, this Japanese restaurant will not disappoint!

Mignonette for fresh fish and delicious oysters in a very cool and off the beaten path are of Miami.

Swan and Bar Bevy opened just a few weeks ago and is already the place to be!

Art Miami

Stay tuned for Oh So Arty in Miami launching January 2019! Explore our other tour options here.

cover image: Untitled Miami Beach 2017, special projects. Work by Carlos Cruz-Diez, 'Chromosaturation'

December Art Guide - Athens

Recommendations of what exhibitions to see in the Athens art scene by our local insider Margarita Kataga. To learn about Oh So Arty tours in Athens please click here.

I.

Exhibition title: Cosmic Dramas

Artist: Liliane Lijn

Venue: Rodeo Gallery

Dates: December 9th, 2018, 12:00 (performance)

Exhibition: Until January 12th, 2019

The international gallery Rodeo is staging the performance of the international artist Liliane Lijn. With venues in London and Istanbul, Rodeo Gallery hosts important multi-disciplinary exhibitions of international status.

II.

Exhibition title: Phenomenon Mother

Artist: Marina Provatidou

Venue: Gallery 7

Dates: Until December 8th, 2018.

The Amsterdam-based Greek artist Marina Provatidou, traces her childhood memories and the issue of motherhood in her site-specific project Phenomenon Mother. Issues of maternity with a feminist twist examine our identity in relation to the woman and parenthood.

III.
Exhibition title: The Ruralists

Artists: Petros Efstathiadis, Emmanouil Zacharioudakis, Katerina Kana, Ioannis Koliopoulos, Zissis Kotionis, Margarita Myrogianni, Apostolos Ntelakos, Paola Palavidi, Alexios Papazacharias, Leda Papaconstantinou, Thanasis Totsikas, George Tsakiris, Alexandros Psychoulis.

Venue: a.antonopoulou art

Dates: December 5th, 2018 through January 19th, 2019

The exhibition presents thirteen artists who live and work outside the major urban centers. Paintings and sculptures, photographs and installations are created by a plethora of materials and techniques that are related to the environment. A show of leading Greek artist who examine our vital relation to nature.

Learn more about Oh So Arty in Athens here!

November Art Guide - Bilbao

October was hectic in Bilbao with the city hosting the 25th edition of MTV’s European Music Awards (EMA). The city aims to keep up the energy this month with events, exhibition openings and FIG Bilbao, the international prints and art on paper fair. Discover Oh So Arty private art tour options in Bilbao here!

I.

Exhibition: FIG Bilbao, International Print and Art Works on Paper Art Festival

Artists: Jorge Oteiza, Eduardo Chillida, Rafael Canogar, Ouka Leele, Katsumi Komagata, Iñaki Elosua Urkiri.

Venue: Euskalduna Conference Centre

Dates: 15-18th November

Formerly a prints & illustration festival, this rapidly growing show is getting more interesting by the year. By slightly shifting its scope towards prints & works on paper, it has opened the way to more galleries into the show. Some unmissable shows are: the Japanese xylography show, La Taller’s space, and Michel Mejuto’s gallery jewels, like a work by El Paso artist Rafael Canogar that was never exhibited before and I bet it finds a new home before the first half of the festival is over!

FIG Bilbao 2018, photo by María José Orihuela

 II.

Exhibition: Erlea Maneros Zabala. Work 2017 - 2018

Artist: Erlea Maneros Zabala

Venue: Carreras Mugica

Dates: Until December 7th

Based between Lekeitio, Spain and Joshua Tree, California, Erlea Maneros (Bilbao, 1977) is a widely renowned artist whose conceptual work addresses, among other issues, the conflicts generated by image production and their distribution. A perfect fit for Carreras Mugica’s poetic gallery space.

Exhibition photo, work by Erlea Maneros Zabala

III.

 Exhibition: After 68. Art and Artistic Practices in the Basque Country 1968–2018. Part I: Music.

Artists: Pedro Iturralde, Delorean, Mocedades, Barricada, Duncan Dhu, Tulsa, Kortatu, Elena Setién.

Venue: Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao

Dates: Until April 4th

The greatness of this Basque art exhibition is such that this month I’m going to focus solely on one section of it: the one dedicated to Music, located on the museum’s top floor. It is worthy to take some time to listen, even randomly, to the carefully selected musical pieces. Try for instance, Las Morillas de Jaén (1968), by Pedro Iturralde to see how a Basque composer can deal with such a genre as “Flamenco Jazz” and enjoy how delightful it can be. Plus, the exhibition is loaded with lots interesting events around its theme.

Book an Oh So Arty tour in Bilbao here!

Header image: FIG Bilbao 2018, photo by María José Orihuela

72 Hours in Rome

In the Italian capital city of Rome, we found the perfect balance between old and new. Historic and contemporary. One minute we were walking through the Villa de Medici and the next we were taking in the impressive contemporary art scene at some of the city’s best galleries. Keep reading to hear about how we spent 72 Hours in Rome and a list of our favorite arty destinations around town!

Checking in on Friday evening at Hotel del Barbieri set the perfect mood for our weekend getaway. The building was originally constructed in the 17th century and was renovated in 2017. Located within one of the city’s most central districts this cozy boutique hotel couldn’t be in a better spot!

Hotel del Barbieri.

Rome has a bustling Jewish quarter with synagogues and ample food options. For our first night we chose to have dinner at Al Pompiere in the Jewish quarter. Offering high quality traditional food we stuffed ourselves on tagliatelle and their famed fried artichoke. We then called it a night and went back to our hotel to prepare for a day of art touring!

On Saturday morning we met Oh So Arty local insider in Rome, Valentina Di Pietro. Her modern and contemporary art tours of Rome show a different side of the eternal city who’s grand beauty was built through layers and layers of history. We began our tour at the centrally located White Noise Gallery where we caught a solo exhibition of Spanish artist Jesús Herrera Martínez’s new cycle of works entitled “Taking Care of the Garden of Eden”. This emerging space had a nice program of exhibitions and a passionate and committed gallery team. We then visited the nearby Galleria Lorcan O’Neill to view a solo show of new works by Eddie Peake. The rainbow of colors in this show were thrilling to see in person and the gallery space was very beautiful.

Eddie Peake at Galleria Lorcan O’Neill

Next up was the funky bohemian neighborhood of Trastevere. This is the perfect alternative escape if you need respite from tourist venues like the Trevi fountain and Colosseum. Valentina took us to T293 Gallery to see Claire Fontaine’s powerful solo show ‘Tutto e commune’ or ‘Everything is Connected’. Next up was Gavin Brown’s Enterprise, originally a New York insitution, which opened a in Rome a few years ago in an 8th-century church named Sant’Andrea de Scaphis at Via dei Vascellari 69 in the Trastevere neighborhood. The juxtaposition of this old architecture with radical contemporary art makes for a very exciting visual experience.

Claire Fontaine at T293 Gallery

We then made our way to the San Lorenzo neighborhood. This is where the university is located and so it’s very full of life and vibrant. We took a brief coffee break at the hip eatery Fauno 3.0. Then Valentina used her insider connections to take us on studio visits around the neighborhood. First up was the established artist Pietro Ruffo. His work is primarily concerned with exploring the nature of freedom and offers important social commentary with beautiful aesthetics. Next was the studio of emerging artist Leonardo Petrucci who studied at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Rome. We are so grateful to Valentina, Pietro and Leonardo as well as the galleries and other artists we met for opening their doors to us and sharing an arty side of Rome not typically available to travelers. After a long day of exploring Rome’s arty side the only thing left to do was grab some sweets at Gelateria Dei Gracchi!

Pietro Ruffo in his studio. Photo by Sarah Peguine.

For dinner we feasted at Al Gran Sasso which served up traditional Roman food and homemade pasta!

We began our last day at the National Museum of 21st Century Arts or MAXXI. The striking modernist building was designed by the late architect Zaha Hadid. This institution is the first Italian national institution dedicated to contemporary art. It was founded in 2009 as a laboratory for cultural experimentation and innovation.

MAXXI. Photo by Kef Israel.

You can’t visit Rome without indulging in some pizza! So after touring MAXXI we visited Bonci Pizza infamous for their Roman-style pizza al Taglio. They create a variety of one of a kind pizzas that change frequently based on availability of the freshest ingredients.

For our last Roman sunset we visited the gardens at the Villa Medici. We recommend taking their tour at magic hour (around 6 pm) to see the beautiful golden light that’s cast on the villa and the gardens. The view of the surrounding city is one of the best.

To learn more about Oh So Arty in Rome please click here. To book a tour in Rome please click here.